Give Him The Time of Day
by Winnie-the-Bish
Summary: Cece and Winston began hanging out more but then, Cece realizes something. (Cece's P.O.V.)


_At first we were just hanging but then things were getting serious. I didn't mean to for any of this to happen. Okay, let me backtrack to when all of this started._ Me and Winston tricked Coach and Schmidt to take pictures for a modeling agency and when that didn't end well. Coach said that we had to pay Schmidt five hundred dollars for his work and playing with his feeling. Later that night, Winston came to the bar for a drink. He told me he'd pay Schmidt because he knew I was saving up to go back to school. He sat there for a while keeping me conversation while the dry sound through the bar of coughs and a few clicking glasses filled the room. I enjoyed talking to him. He talked about police academy and he told me all the crazy training they'd do. The whole time he was talking I just kept smiling. It wasn't that he was saying anything funny, it was like he felt so comfortable talking to me and he told me all this stuff that he's been dying for someone to listen to him. I stood there leaned over the counter with my head resting in hand. I didn't just want to hear him because I felt like I had to; I wanted to listen to him because some people wouldn't even give him the time of day. His eyes got bigger when he talked. His voice got louder and more animated. Then he let me talk.

I told him about my day. He knew it was boring just by looking around the bar but never once did Winston take his focus away from me. He gave me the same attention I gave him. Not once did he stop to ask me anything he just listened. Mike's voice came from behind yelling at me to assist two waiting customers. I pulled back from the counter, " Uh, I have to go" I said a bit disappointed. Winston slid off of the stool and onto his feet. " Actually I have to get going. We have this crazy workout training tomorrow morning." I nodded my head. I understood that he needed to go. " Yeah, I totally understand. Get some rest." Winston playfully saluted me off and left the bar. That was incident number one.

Incident number two. The day after the police training, Winston called and asked me if I wanted to go jogging with him. I said "yes" because I don't remember the last time me and Jess went jogging and it would be great to go out for fresh air. I meet him downstairs in front of my apartment. He was wearing a red top with black basketball shorts on and what looks like a fresh pair of J's on him feet. He had a towel around his neck and two water bottles in hand. Pushes one out to me and I grabbed it from him. We exchanged 'Hi's" and went off jogging. We got tired five blocks down from my place.

" You wanna walk to the beach? I know this great veggie food place we can stop at."

" Sure!" I said still trying to catch my breath. I hunched over getting even more exhausted. Winston took my water and his and placed it on the ground. He rubbed his hands down both of my arms all the way to her wrist. I seriously couldn't breath. My eyes were watering up because it felt like my lungs were closing up. He told my wrist and raised it above head and directed me to reach behind my head. " Inhale, now exhale." Still trying to fight through. Winston placed his hand on my lower back.

"Cece,Cece; look at me." I kept my eyes shut tight. "Cece, look at me." I looked at him. He placed his other hand on my stomach. ' Inhale slowly, now exhale slowly. And I want you to keep doing that until I tell you to stop." I followed his directs. _Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale._ I continued to do it until my tears went away. His hands went back to his side. My eyes got wider. I listened to him and I'm okay. I'm okay. He picked up the water bottles and handed me mine. I took a sip, smiling at him through the bottle. " Thank you Winston."

" No prob. Hey you still up for some veggie food?"

" Yes. Im still down for veggies."

" Aw, maybe next time then."

" What! I said yes."

"No I asked you if you were 'up' for veggie and you said you were 'down' for veggies, so I'm guessing we have to reschedule." I playfully rolled my eyes and softly hit Winston on the arm.

" You know what I meant ya idiot." We laughed and started walking. Alright last incident.

I had an interview for a job opportunity. I needed to get a better job with better pay and this was great. The only problem is that it was a job for people with an education at colleges. There is a chance I could get this job but the the states her high and those who had diplomas were talking this job from left to right. How the hell could a high school dropout get this. I talked to the employer over the phone and she said that it wasn't all the of a big deal, but it was. I need a job that is more serious. Coming out of the modeling industry looks like a joke to these snot nose people but I really wanted to do this.

Here I am. Pacing back and forth through my living room doubting myself once again. What If I go in and they ask my what college did attend and I look them dead in the face and tell them my answer. Ugh! _*knock, knock*_ That must be Jess. As soon as I opened the door there Winston was with his hands to his side. " Hi Cece. Jess couldn't make it so she sent me over to drop these off for you." He held out a bag with the clothes she let Jess borrow. Cece didn't even care she was still nervous. Winston saw the concerned look on her face. He dropped the bag to his side and walked into the apartment. I backed up to let him through.

"Cece, what's the matter?" The bag went from his hand to the coffee table next the couch. I didn't say anything. " Cece, what's the matter?" I walked from the door to the dinner table. I took a seat and laid my head down in between my arms. Winston walked over taking a seat next to me. " You're dressed nice to go somewhere but I can tell something there must be bothering you. Care to share?"

Just simple analyzations and he knew where he was going. Raising my head from my arms and I looked at him. He had a serious look on his face. Not like he was angry that I wouldn't say anything, but full of worry, concern. "I'm going to an interviewing for a new job as an Intern. The field requires me to good with note taking, running errands, computer skills, copying paperwork, faxing and answering calls when needed, Oh and a college degree." He pulled his head back nodding at the realization now. All I did was start up crying again. Then I felt a hand rub my upper back. Looking up again seen him give me sideways look.

" Cece for as long as I've known you I know you can do this. College is not all that matters. Yeah you'll get to that but so what. You have the same amount of potential a college graduated would have. Just because you don't have a degree doesn't make you lesser that someone else that has one." His words struck me hard. I know what he was saying was true but my own self was eating away all the confidence I had. His words meant so much but yet, I still to think little. He knew that I still didn't have that confidence.

" I graduated college." Did he really say that to me at a time like this. " But here I am years later doing something I actually want to do. I went overseas to play basketball and I broke my foot. It came to me now a few months ago I was no good at it. Then, I came to L.A. and started working for the radio station and that wasn't all that amazing and now I'm in training to be a cop. I did all this stuff thinking about money and it was going to be a fun ride, but I didn't even love it. I was so fixed on focusing on what I could be and not on what I wanted to be." Cece cleared her voice, " But what does that have to do with me?" sounding a little irritated. " What I'm saying is that you can't let your past hold you back from becoming greater. If you want this Cece you will go into that interview and give them all that they need. And if they ask you what you did tell them that you were a modeling and now you're going back to school. They will see that you are a determined person and they couldn't possibly tell you no."

Just a few of his encouraging words made me open my eyes to the job. Not too long ago I was crying my eyes loose, doubting whether I should go and all I did was listen to him. Listen to what he had to say. I gave him a chance to speak to me. That was all and my entire perspective changed. He raised from his chair and pushed it back in. I didn't turn to watch him leave out the door. I heard the door click open and called out his name. "Winston...wait!" I walked towards him and stood there looking up at him. My arms automatically swung around him holding him tight in my embrace. Winston was still at first until I felt him relax more in my arms. His arms swung around my waist pulling me in closer. We buried our head in the crook of each others neck. A few seconds more and we released. He pulled his right hand up to his head a saluted me off as I did the same. Then he was gone. I nodded to myself and went to my bedroom and grabbed my purse. He was right. So I better go off to this interview because it's almost time. And there it was. Something inside of me cared a lot for Winston, just like when he cared for me. He was there when I had no one to talk to, he made sure I was okay when I really needed it, and he provided me with confidence when I was working myself up. Something growing within me made me like him for just being honest. He was being himself which I didn't see in a lot of men I've dated. He was just being himself and that alone was the best thing anyone could share with me.


End file.
